RELOCATION GUIDE

COMMUNITY STATSEDUCATIONHEALTHY YAKIMAOUTDOORSFIELD TO TABLECRAFT REVOLUTION

SPORTSFESTIVALS/EVENTSARTS & CULTUREREAL ESTATEAND MORE

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

Sit back, relax, and discover a sampling of Valley life.

In Yakima County, you’ll enjoy four seasons, great weather, plenty of scenic vistas, and numerous outdoor amenities. These natural assets are complemented by a robust job market, strong growth industries, enviable housing options, wellsprings of cultural diversity, and growing educational opportunities for you and your family.

You’ll find a welcoming community where you can shape the world around you and have a role in building the community in which you want to live. Residents of the Valley make an impact – each and every day.

Whether you’re interested in having an active role in the continued growth of the Valley or yearn for a more private lifestyle surrounded by rolling hills and a peaceful environment, we welcome you to our little corner of the world.

Photography courtesy of:

• City of Yakima• Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce• SOZO Sports• Thane Phelan• Yakima Sports Commission• Yakima Valley Tourism• Image West Photography• Ken Lapworth• Stevan Chase• State Fair Park• Heritage University• Yakima Valley College

10 North 9th Street, Yakima, WA 98901509.575.1140 chooseyakima.com

YAKIMA VALLEY!

Case of the Blues Music Festival

2

Carrie Underwood Performing at the Yakima Valley Sundome

Local Pumpkin Patch

Yakima Roots and Vines Festival

The Seasons Performance Hall

3

YAKIMA COUNTY’S COST OF LIVING IS

ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE NORTHWEST

than larger metropolitan areas!

10-20 LOWER

%

RELIGION

inYAKIMA COUNTY

250

CHURCHES

OVER

THE CITY OF

YAKIMAThe largest city in Washington, contains 35% of the county’s population.

10th

ETHNICITY

94,190 32.7

3

City of Yakima

Median Age

Avg. Household Size

Personal Income Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Sales Tax

POPULATION

INCOME

LABOR FORCE

Median Home Cost

Average Commute Time

TAXES

TRANSPORTATION

Labor Force

Unemployment

Average Salary

Per Capita

Median Household

Average Household

130,468 6.3%

$38,365

$21,510$47,470$63,365

254,500 Yakima County

0%

Hispanic or Latino

White

American Indian

Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander

Two or More Races

African American

48.4%

44.3%

3.6%

1.0%

2.0%

0.7%

0%

7.9% to 8.2%

$227,800

18.3 Minutes

Cost of Living Index

of the National Average93.6%

$

$

Seattle, Spokane, and Portland are all within a drive.Yakima is served by bus, air, and highway.

3-hour

50% of the County population lives within a 20-min. drive of downtown Yakima.

CLIMATE

Average High

Average High40.3° WINTER

85° SUMMER

Annual Sunshine

Annual Snowfall

300 DAYS

23.5 INCHES

4

TOP 15 PRIVATE EMPLOYERS

ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT

17,291 ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS

26.6% 15.7%

14.0%

9.6%

7.5%

26.6%

Manufacturing

Other Industries

Retail Trade

HealthServices

LocalGovernment

Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing

ManagementProfessional ServicesOffice & AdministrativeManufacturing & MaintenanceHealthcareTransportation

Jobs Openings Average Salary

8912,2252,6431,5202,8041,248

$99,400$99,400$38,400$39,900$70,200$35,500

Employment Breakdown

110,188Total Jobs

REAL ESTATE

COST of 2,400 sq.ft. Single Family HomeAVERAGE COST BY AREA

$285,703$725,929$376,507$365,615

YakimaSeattleTri-CitiesSpokane

Monthly Listings

Monthly Home Sales

Median Home Price

572

268

$227,800

Avg.

Avg.

2900

1770

1500+

1500+

1212

1170

1023

1006

900

690

615

610

605 600

330

Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital

Astria Health

Zirkle Fruit

Washington Fruit & Produce

Borton Fruit

Yakama Nation Enterprises

Monson Fruit

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic

Yakima/Sunnyside/Toppenish

A.B. Foods

Comprehensive Healthcare

Tree Top, Inc.

Walmart Distribution Center

Novelex-Shields

Costco Call Center Customer Service

Seneca Foods

5

What would you do with all that

time saved?

18.3 MINSAVERAGE COMMUTE TIME

20 mins away

Seattle

Mt. Rainier

Mt. Adams

Portland

6

30 mins away

60 mins away

120-180 mins away

71 Lakes

14 Rivers

42 Campgrounds

9 Golf Courses

67 Parks

14 Swimming Pools

63 Historic andCultural Sites

200+ Trail Miles

Spokane

Columbia Gorge

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No matter your child’s interest, Yakima has excellent options for learners big and small.

If you want flexibility, Montessori schools, Discovery Lab, homeschool co-ops, and both national and district-driven online programs offer lots of room for independence and choice. There are also private schools to choose from.

STEM is alive and well in Yakima with incredible career-based education programs, summer STEM programs, robotics courses, and new partnerships with businesses for student apprenticeships to bridge school and career.

YV Tech has its own campus providing high school students with technical skills training in over 18 programs including drones, digital media, and computer technology.

Local high schools offer college-level courses and the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. High school juniors can segue into upper education and have the opportunity to graduate high school with college credits or even an associate degree.

In 2013, Zillah science teacher Jeff Charbonneau became the fourth educator from our state to be named the National Teacher of the Year. This outstanding educator is now a leader in the district as principal in Zillah.

West Valley School District’s Youth Apprenticeship Program allows students to earn college credits, accrue apprenticeship hours, and make a salary, all while finishing their high school diploma.

Education Landscape: K-12

As the healthcare industry evolves, Memorial continues to build upon its history of partnership and innovation. In an effort to better serve our community, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital and its affiliates partnered with Virginia Mason Health System in 2016 to become Virginia Mason Memorial.

Since its founding almost 70 years ago, Memorial has evolved into Yakima Valley’s healthcare system of choice – from primary care to our Emergency Department, one of the state’s busiest, to cutting-edge cancer care at North Star Lodge.

“Our mission and vision are to achieve health with you in new ways and to create healthy communities, one person at a time,” said CEO Russ Myers. “Through expertise, volunteerism, and philanthropy, we are committed to strengthening our community.”

yakimamemorial.org

509.575.8000

2811 Tieton DriveYakima, WA 98902

2,900 employees

130 physicians on the medical staff

350 volunteers

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In Yakima, you don’t have to travel far to pursue your dreams in higher education.

Yakima Valley College offers Running Start so your high schooler can attend college their junior and senior year with dozens of options for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees as well as certificates.

For those who want to work in the trades, Perry Technical Institute is a highly accredited school offering programs in agriculture equipment, construction, HVAC, manufacturing, instrumentation, IT, electrical, precision machining, and much more.

Heritage University offers bachelor’s and master’s programs as well as a Physician Assistant Educational Program and an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Central Washington University is just 30 miles away in Ellensburg and has more than 135 majors and 32 master’s degree programs.

Opened in 2005, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) is a medical university providing doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine. The first graduating class was in 2012 and the institution continues to expand its campus and programs.

Higher Ed

Higher Education Enrollment

Yakima Valley College

7,624

Washington State University Education Center

1,300

Perry Technical Institute

715

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

570

Heritage University

910

Central Washington University

11,500 Holding more than $1.7 billion in assets, Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association is the largest mutual thrift in the Pacific Northwest and the seventh largest banking institution headquartered in Washington State. Since opening in 1905, our values haven’t changed. Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is dedicated to serving area residents by promoting home ownership, encouraging saving, and building strong communities.

Yakima Federal specializes in checking accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and real estate loans. All home loans are processed locally and held in-house. Yakima Federal will not sell your loan.

Online banking is available via mobile app and on our website at YakimaFed.com. Bank by phone remains available and is a very popular feature for many customers. Come visit any of our ten convenient locations in Yakima, Ellensburg, Prosser, Sunnyside, Pasco, Richland, or Kennewick.

yakimafed.com

800.331.3225

118 E Yakima AvenueYakima, WA 98901

Over $1.7 billion in assets

114 years in business

10 branches to serve you

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The Yakima Valley takes healthcare seriously—just ask one of our 5,400 healthcare practitioners. With well over 100 primary and specialty clinics, and community health centers throughout the Valley, you’re sure to find a provider to keep you and your family healthy. Healthcare specialty services include:

When life happens and you need emergency care, there are four hospitals with over 500 licensed beds to meet your inpatient needs locally. Inpatient services include:

There’s no shortage of naturopathic and holistic medicine providers, either. With an osteopathic medical school in Yakima, new graduating doctors are choosing to stay in rural areas and treat patients who previously had limited access to care.

• Cardiac Rehabilitation and Wellness Center

• OB/GYN• Home Health and Hospice• Cancer Center• Mammography • Sleep Center • Pain Relief • Ear, Nose, and Throat• Endocrinology • Gastroenterology• Psychiatric • Lung & Asthma• Vascular • Mental Health• Addiction Recovery• Crisis Triage

• Cancer Care• Heart Care• Critical Care• Orthopaedics• Surgery• The Family Birthplace• Pediatric Care• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit• Surgery• Psychiatric Care

Stay Healthy, Stay Close to Home

Since the 1970s, Comprehensive Healthcare has been providing services to children, adults, and families throughout eastern Washington. Comprehensive is a private nonprofit organization that offers a full range of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services, with special programs for veterans, victims of crime, parents, and employees.

comphc.org

509.575.4084

402 S 4th AvenueYakima, WA 98907

690 employees

14 clinical service locations

20,325 clients served in 2018

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• Hundreds of lakes and hiking trails are a short drive away

• With first snowfall comes amazing snowboarding, skiing, and snowmobiling

• At the Yakima Greenway, you can enjoy 20 miles of paved pathway, parks, picnic areas, and playgrounds that run from one side of Yakima to the other

• Explore eight national protected areas that cover over one-million acres of forest

Stay Healthy, Stay Close to Home

What’s the best thing about the Yakima Valley? The outdoor adventure!Hike picturesque Mt. Rainier, explore Cowiche Canyon, or take to the ridges of the Valley for stunning views. You might take up horseback riding, mountain biking, fly-fishing, hiking, or kayaking!

There’s no shortage of family-friendly things to do in the Yakima Valley!Summer camps, five local pools, 46 acres of pristine parks at the Yakima Arboretum, and 200 miles of kid-friendly hiking and biking trails mean no shortage of outdoor fun! Looking to stay indoors? Test your wit at Escape the Madness, jump and play at the trampoline park or Kid’s Castle, enjoy the arcade at the Family Fun Center, or build crafts as a family at Yakima Makers Space.

Wenatchee National Forest Hiking Mt. RainierOak Creek Elk Feeding Station

Outdoor Fun

Floating the Yakima River Canyon

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Community Health of Central Washington (CHCW) is a nonprofit organization providing healthcare, dental, and mental health services to people of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay.

Services:

Clinics & Programs: Central Washington Family Medicine, Central Washington Family Residency Program, Yakima Pediatrics, Naches Medical Clinic, Highland Clinic, Community Health of Central Washington – Ellensburg, Ellensburg Dental Clinic, Senior & Residential Care, and Senior Smiles.

• Medical and dental care

• Residency program

• Pharmacy

• Mental health and behavioral health

• Care coordination, case management, and outreach

• First Steps/CYSHCN

• WIC

• Opioid dependency treatment

• Medical and dental care for people living in care facilities

chcw.org

509.494.6700

501 S 5th AvenueYakima, WA 98902

6 medical clinics & 1 dental clinic

Over 80 full-time providers

30,000 people served in Yakima & Kittitas Counties Yakima’s restaurants and shops

reflect the diversity of the Valley and all it has to offer. Our restaurants are world-class—we’re not exaggerating. Los Hernandez Tamales in Union Gap earned the prestigious James Beard Award. There are hundreds of options for authentic Mexican food including countless taco trucks for lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Whether it’s dim sum or BBQ, Thai or Brazilian, French or Vietnamese, Italian or Japanese, Indian or Greek, farm-to-table or gluten-free bakeries and anything in between, you can taste it all.

After a meal, spend some time at one of the dozens of boutiques and specialty retail shops, local book and gift shops, country markets, antique shops, farmers markets, sporting goods, fly shops, and more.

If you want something traditional or are doing back-to-school shopping, we have you covered there too. Valley Mall houses 55 stores and is anchored by Kohl’s and Macy’s with a JC Penny, Cabela’s, Best Buy, and Hobby Lobby right next door. You won’t have to leave town to find what you need.

Specialty Shops & World-class Restaurants

Historic Sports Center

Imperial Gardens in Wapato Bale Breaker Brewing Company in Moxee

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Did you know that the Yakima Valley grows 75% of the nation’s hops? That Grant’s Brewery Pub, the nation’s first microbrewery since prohibition and known affectionately as the “Godfather of craft brewing,” opened here in 1982?

A world-renowned destination for craft beverages, Yakima is home to artisanal beer, cider, spirits, and wine. Craft beverages have become a cornerstone of the community from the breakout Bale Breaker Brewing Company to the small-batch cherry or apple moonshine of Swede Hill Distilling.

Over a dozen local breweries offer complex handcrafted beer varieties, while local

distilleries like The Distillarium and Wilridge Winery & Distillery have dreamed up handcrafted vodka, brandies, whiskeys, and other spirits. For a different take, Tieton Cider Works offers a variety of ciders from apple to cherry and apricot.

The Yakima Valley shares latitudes with France’s prime wine regions, making for an agricultural utopia for local wineries and vineyards. Take an unforgettable wine tour across the eastern side of the state with over 120 wineries in just 70 miles.

From the sun-kissed orchards, hop fields, and vineyards right to your glass, discover the heart of hop and wine country by tasting all Yakima has to offer.

Here’s to Craft Beverages

I appreciate living in Yakima from many different perspectives. I grew up here and know the intricacies and the histories. When I moved back to raise my family, I learned to value Yakima on many other levels. I am as deeply committed to my clients as I am to my community, and BOTH get the very best I have to offer. Real estate is a bit of a puzzle, often with a lot of moving parts, but I LOVE that. If you are buying your first home, a new home (up-sizing or down-sizing), and especially if you are relocating to Yakima – it would be my genuine pleasure to work with you to find the perfect property. Allow me to be your local resource.

heritagemoultray.com

509.969.4969

5625 Summitview Ave Yakima, WA 98908

• Time spent with my family and friends is the best.

• My family coined the phrase “Palm Springs of Washington.”

Moriet Miketa

Morrier Ranch Hop Field

Wine and Paint EventYakima Craft

Beverage Walk

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Year-round fresh seasonal produce of all kinds grows here and is truly abundant. We’re a top supplier of crops with farms both big and small.

Your family can enjoy a bountiful array of fresh fruits and vegetables and experience the satisfaction of harvest with over a dozen U-pick farms across the Valley for apples, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, plums, apricots, peppers, cucumbers, onions, asparagus, corn, watermelon, tomatoes, pumpkins and more.

The Farmers Market runs May through October and fruit stands dot the highways and pop up all across the Valley so you can get the best just-picked melons, corn, and more fresh from the fields.

Yakima County has the highest level of agricultural production in Washington State by value, growing over 60% of the nation’s apples and mint, and 75% of the nation’s hops.

Almost a quarter million boxes of cherries are harvested here, in addition to other tree fruit like peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, and apricots.

Yakima’s roots are planted firmly in agriculture—it’s who we are.

Our Mission: Together we are dedicated to lead, with the courage to care, the determination to promote personal growth, and the compassion to champion the cause of those who have no voice.

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic (YVFWC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides comprehensive medical, dental, and social services for more than 166,000 people throughout the Pacific Northwest. YVFWC encompasses more than 2,000 staff, medical residents, dental residents, students, and volunteers. YVFWC has over 30 medical locations across Washington and Oregon.

We embrace new technologies and best practices that engage and participate in their own care, and are well placed to meet the evolving needs of our communities.

yvfwc.org

509.865.6175

Various locations throughout WA and OR

Established in 1979Over 30 sites

Serving over 166,000 patients

we are family

Fresh Local Bounty

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Whether you have teens hoping for a skate park or want to join a baseball league, Yakima’s sports community is active and growing all the time. With adult and youth leagues for almost every sport, there are opportunities for everyone to pursue their interests.

Be sure to take to the stands and root for the home team! Yakima’s baseball team, The Pippins, and basketball team, The SunKings, have a huge local fan base so you can share team spirit with friends and family.

Go, Go, Team!

Yakima Pippins Baseball Game

Pirate Plunder Race

Sozo Sports Complex World Class Golf

15

At Field Group, we want to know all about you: who you are, what you stand for, what your goals are, and what your challenges are. We believe that the better we listen, the better we deliver, so we lean in and learn exactly what you need. Let us develop creative solutions dialed in just right to accomplish your goals.

Our services range from website development and digital advertising, to radio, print, and crisis communication. We are proud to call Yakima home and work closely with our local non-profit community, serving on boards, committees, and volunteering at local charities. Our talented team has chosen to live here because we are committed to the success and growth of the Yakima Valley.

thefieldgroup.net

509.965.1780

103 N 3rd Street, Suite 1Yakima, WA 98901

Established in 1985Full-service marketing agency

An extension of your organization Yakima’s arts are alive and as vibrant as the cultures that make up the community. Discover the arts all across the Valley:

From outdoor summer concerts to world-class productions of the Nutcracker, Yakima celebrates the arts year-round.

• The Larson Gallery features curated, diverse collections, exhibits, programs, and special events

• Mighty Tieton is an artisan business incubator attracting talent from across the region

• Capitol Theatre is the iconic 1,500 seat home of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra and a stunning calendar of plays, performances, and events for all ages

• The Seasons Performance Hall is a premier concert and arts venue• 4th Street Theatre is a black box venue that seats up to 400 for

more versatile productions and performances• Akin Center Theatre and Warehouse Theatre provide local

thespians the chance to perform for their community

Art is Everywhere

Seahawks Rally at the Capitol Theatre

Historic Hotel Maison

Yakima Symphony Orchestra

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Art is Everywhere

Our Valley’s history has deep ties to agriculture and enjoys a vibrant heritage in the Yakama Nation, Latino, Japanese, and Filipino cultures.

The Valley’s colorful culture and rich past are easy to enjoy with a wonderful array of museums and exhibits:

• Yakama Nation Cultural Center in Toppenish—its gift shop, museum, and library tell the story of the Yakama Nation.

• The Central Washington Agricultural Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. When you see its 150 antique tractors and over 1,000 pieces of historic machinery you’ll understand why Yakima was coined The Fruitbowl of the Nation in the early 1900s.

• Fort Simcoe Historical State Park, located on the Yakama Indian Reservation, is one of the few remaining pre-Civil War forts in the west and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

• Northern Pacific Railway Museum, originally a railroad depot built in 1911, was converted to a museum and restored to its original glory in 1989.

• The Yakima Valley Museum is sure to pique anyone’s curiosity with events, programs, and special changing exhibits with objects from their own collection, private collections, and other museums.

History & Culture

Heritage University Pow Wow Yakima Taco Fest

Cinco de Mayo Festival

Historic Larson Building

Cinco de Mayo Festival

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Toppenish RodeoToppenish

4th of July Celebrations

Yakima Folklife FestivalFranklin Park, Yakima

Nile Valley DaysJim Sprick Community Park, Naches

Dye Hard 5k Nighttime Color Run Sozo Sports Complex

YakimaSelah Toppenish Zillah Prosser

July

YAKIMA VALLEY EVENTS

February

April

May

June

June

Sunnyside Summer Ale FestSunnyside

Scottish Fest and Highland Games Prosser

Gap to Gap Relay & Festival Yakima

Downtown Summer Nights Concert Series Downtown Yakima through August

Yakima Pippins BaseballYakima County Stadium

Yakama Nation Treaty Day CommemorationToppenish

Mural in a DayToppenish

Red Wine and ChocolateYakima Valley

Central Washington Home and Garden ShowYakima Valley Sundome

White Pass Craft Brew FestivalWhite Pass Ski Area

Spring Barrel TastingYakima Valley

Cinco de MayoDowntown Yakima Sunnyside

Roots and Vines FestivalDowntown Yakima

Yakima Farmers MarketDowntown Yakima

Community Days Zillah Selah

Memorial Day Parade Downtown Yakima

AT A GLANCE

CONTINUED

Year Round

January

March

SalsaThe Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima

First FridayDowntown Yakima

Enterprise Challenge Business Plan CompetitionYakima

Yakima SunKingsYakima Valley Sundome

White Pass Winter CarnivalWhite Pass Ski Area

Go to visityakima.com for more event information!

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Annual Great Prosser Balloon RallyProsser

Prosser Farmers Market Prosser

Yakima Indoor Farmers Market Downtown Yakima

Yakima Taco Fest Yakima

Annual Rail ShowNorthern Pacific Railway Museum, Toppenish

Tour of Homes Yakima Valley

Chinook Fest Naches

Central Washington State Fair Yakima

Naches Valley Sportsman’s Days Naches

Moxee Hop FestivalMoxee

Yakima Valley Fair and RodeoGrandview

Zillah’s Bluegrass FestivalZillah

Highland Community DaysTieton

Hot Shots 3-On-3 Basketball TourneySozo Sports Complex

Vintiques Northwest NationalsState Fair Park Yakima Fresh Hop

Ale FestivalDowntown Yakima

Yakima Valley Crush Area Wineries

Chalk Art Festival Downtown Yakima

Tamale Fest Wapato

The Estrella Awards Yakima

The Filipino Community Hall Dinner Yakima

Winter MarketProsser

Thanksgiving in Wine CountryYakima Valley

Selah Lighted ParadeSelah

Annual Sunnyside Lighted Farm Implement ParadeSunnyside

Downtown Yakima Lighted Christmas ParadeDowntown Yakima

Granger Tour of LightsGranger

LuminariaArboretum, Yakima

Union Gap Christmas Parade and FestivalUnion Gap

Santa TrolleyYakima Valley Trolleys, Downtown Yakima

11th Annual Toy Train ChristmasNorthern Pacific Railway Museum, Toppenish

August September

September

October

November

December

CONTINUED

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THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS!Thank you!

10 North 9th Street, Yakima, WA 98901

509.575.1140 chooseyakima.com